The present disclosure relates to a power supply control device configured to control the supply of power from a battery to a load.
A power supply control device configured to control the supply of power from a battery to a load is installed in vehicles (e.g., see Japanese Patent 4473294). In the power supply control device disclosed in Japanese Patent 4473294, a switch is connected between the positive electrode of a battery and one end of a load, and the negative electrode of the battery and the other end of the load are grounded. The power supply control device disclosed in Japanese Patent 4473294 includes a switch control unit configured to switch the switch on and off. The switch control unit controls the supply of power from the battery to the load by switching the switch on and off.
The switch control unit is also connected to the positive electrode of the battery, and the switch control unit receives a supply of power from the battery. At this time, current flows from the positive electrode of the battery to an output terminal via the switch control unit. The output terminal is grounded, and current that flows from the output terminal returns to the grounded negative electrode of the battery.
In the power supply control device disclosed in Japanese Patent 4473294, an anode is connected to the output terminal and a cathode further includes a diode connected to the one end of the load. Thus, for example, in a case where an electrical wire that is used for grounding the output terminal is disconnected and the output terminal is opened, when the switch is off, current flows from the positive electrode of the battery to the switch control unit, the diode, and the load in this order, current returns to the negative electrode of the battery, and the supply of power from the battery to the switch control unit continues.
After the output terminal is opened, the switch control unit performs other control in a state in which the switch is kept off. For example, the switch control unit controls the supply of power from the battery to another load by switching the switch on and off, the switch being provided in a power supply path through which power is supplied from the battery to the other load.